This invention is related in general to angular rate sensors and more specifically to an angular rate sensor modeled after biological mechanisms such as the halteres of the insect order Diptera.
An important aspect of flying machines is maintaining stability and balance. It is often necessary to provide highly accurate; fast, and robust means of detecting angular velocities of the body reference frame with respect to a fixed global reference frame. The requirements for rotational velocity measurements are particularly strict in micro aerial vehicles (MAVs) or micromechanical flying devices such as a micromechanical flying insect (MFI).
Because an MFI is designed to approximate the size and weight, and to mimic the biological structure and mechanical motion, of a natural insect, the design of components for an MFI is very challenging. Traditional approaches to rotation measurement in MFIs can be found in micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) designs. MEMS designs include the use of gyroscopes as angular rate sensors. However, such gyroscopes have proven to be difficult to adapt to the specific needs of MFIs. For example, a gyroscope's resolution, rate, power requirements and other characteristics may be insufficient for an MFI design.
MEMS gyroscopes have also proven insufficient in other aspects. For example, the materials and design can be complex and intricate and can result in a low yield and short time-to-failure. Sensing with capacitive sensors may provide non-linear signals and require structures that impede operation or add to the weight of the MFI. In some applications, the prior art needs vacuum packaging because of sensitive design and weak actuation.